A New Development
by Anya Maygo
Summary: Part 2 of A New Home! ...To answer people asking questions...um...I am writing that Hybrid World sequel. Trouble is, I need a plot other than "Kyerrsha and Akiko have kids." So send me your ideas! *New Home Spoiler Alert" - no psycho Ninetales, that's this fic line.
1. Arrival at the Hoenn Region!

_**Arrival at the Hoenn Region**_

* * *

><p><strong>Deseronto<strong>

Riding on a boat as a Pokemon was an interesting experience. I swam and sunbathed right alongside Pikachu. Ash all but ignored Cor and me, which was fine.

Then Team Rocket took Pikachu! We managed to swipe him back, though thanks to the captain's Machoke and me, but then we started flooding! The battle went nuts, and Team Rocket and Pikachu got separated from us! We had to search them out with Officer Jenny's help.

Finally, we found him – and Team Rocket was using an electromagnet to trap Pikachu!

Local Pokemon helped send Team Rocket flying!

I nosed Pikachu worriedly. Electromagnets aren't good for Electric-types.

We had to use Jenny's Pidgeot to make the boat.

* * *

><p>Sure enough, Pikachu wasn't looking too well by morning – his cheeks were sparking like crazy!<p>

Ash grabbed me up. "Dess, you're a Pikachu – what's wrong with _my_ Pikachu?"

"Uh…all I know for sure is, it's Team Rocket's fault. Electromagnets aren't good for Electric-types, it messes with our natural currents."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Not on his own. He needs outside help to get through it, and even then I'm not sure."

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

We called Professor Birch, but the guy wasn't there! We waited for him to get here as soon as his assistant could arrive.

He got here quickly. And we ended up driving cross-country to get to his lab!

The machine he tried to use to drain Pikachu's electricity didn't work – he was too powerful! Pikachu ran off! We had to chase after him!

Finally, we found him. He was in worse shape than before, and attacked Ash!

Then he ran right off a cliff! Ash, the maniac that he is, leaped after him and caught him, barely able to stop himself on a branch!

I sent Byrony down, and Professor Birch gave us a rope to help, too. Birch was with a girl about my age. Then Team Rocket got here. Their machine grabbed Pikachu, and started draining his electricity!

"I could be wrong," Dess whispered, "but this just might actually help him!"

Then he started zapping under his own power and blasted Team Rocket off again!

We got back to the lab so that we could check on Pikachu. The girl introduced herself as May, and we watched her choose her first Pokemon.

She ended up with a Torchic. She didn't seem that enthused about Pokemon.

* * *

><p>The next day, we set off for Olddale Town. May, Ash and I chose to travel together.<p>

"Hey, Ash," I leaned over and whispered, "why'd you agree to that so quickly?"

He whispered back, "I got stuck with Misty because of Pikachu torching her bike, too! She was mad at me for months!"

Then I looked around at May. "Hey, listen, if you're going to hang out with us, you'll need to know something about me and my team."

"Hm?"

"Well, um, first off, how much do you know about Pokemon?"

She looked embarrassed. "Not much, actually."

"Okay, well, what I'm going to tell you doesn't necessarily apply to all Pokemon, but it definitely applies to some. There's another planet where creatures called hybrids live – what?"

She'd started laughing. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but that sounds crazy!"

I sighed. "I'm not even done. Hear me out, okay? These hybrids can take the form of either a human or a Pokemon – any Pokemon. They do have a true form, though, which is always about midway-sized between their Pokemon and a human the same age as they are."

"And, um, how do you know all this?"

I rolled my eyes. Then I shifted to my true form and looked back at her.

Back up at her – I was shorter than she was by a good foot.

"Because _I'm_ a hybrid," I answered unnecessarily.

"Wow!" She immediately started touching one of my big ears.

"My whole team's like this – they're actually shipmates of mine. We were coming here, and then our ship got wrecked and we all got separated. I'm trying to find them all, because we don't initially know English, and we were supposed to stay together until we'd all learned the language."

"Oh. Is your Pikachu's tail notched because it's a hybrid?"

"No, her tail's notched because she's a girl. There's no real visible way to tell a hybrid apart from a Pokemon or a human."

Ash suddenly looked at me. "Hey, um, are any of your friends Hoenn Pokemon?"

I pulled out my PokeDex and started spinning through the pictures. "Uh…yeah, four of them."

"Great! Let's get going, then!"

I shifted back to my human form and we started walking again.


	2. A Hybrid's Anger

_**A Hybrid's Anger**_

* * *

><p><strong>Ash<strong>

We finally got to Petalburg City. When I found the Gym, a kid told me he was the Gym Leader, and then started insulting me!

"Keep that up," Cor suddenly said from next to me, sounding dangerous, "and I'll get angry. You won't like me when I'm angry."

Then we learned that not only was this not the Gym Leader, but he was May's brother, and her _dad_ was the Gym Leader!

* * *

><p>We sat and talked a bit over lunch. Norman, the gym leader, told me the rules: three Pokemon to a battle.<p>

I protested, "I only have Pikachu with me!"

"You only have Pikachu?" the kid Max asked. Then he started getting even more snide. "No _wonder_ you lost – "

Then Cor snapped.

More than Cor – his whole _team_ snapped out of their balls, morphing into their true forms! Cor knocked Max over the table, getting him away from me and shifting into his own true form, and then leaped after the little guy!

Then Kerra restrained Cor, and Byrony grabbed Dess and Safara, holding _them_ back!

"I know where you're coming from," Kerra hissed, "but it's bad manners to kill the son of your host."

"Did you hear that?" Byrony asked, shaking around the two girls he was holding back. "Calm down."

Finally, each of the hybrids settled again. Cor was muttering, Dess's cheeks were still sparking, and Safara was glaring at Max.

Max's mouth was hanging open.

I took a breath and explained that I'd wanted to go through the Hoenn League with just Hoenn Pokemon.

"Well…" May's mom said, sounding a little shaken, "that makes sense. And you have some interesting friends as well."

"Yeah. They're trying to find the rest of _their_ friends."

"Why's she pink?" Max suddenly asked, pointing at Safara.

May added, "Yeah, is that because she's a hybrid?"

Cor growled, glaring at Max, "I'm not permitted to reveal that information to just anyone."

Kerra translated, "That means no, it's not because she's a hybrid."

* * *

><p>Norman and I started an unofficial battle, my Pikachu versus his Vigoroth. But before we could finish, Team Rocket showed up and tried to steal Pikachu!<p>

They got May's Torchic instead. We went off to rescue it.

**Cor**

I was still growling over Max's treatment of my friend. So when Ash was demonstrating how good he was as a trainer, and Max told his mom, "He _did_ make it to the Championship!" I glared at him again and snapped, "Don't even _try_ to make up."

* * *

><p>When we finally got rid of Team Rocket, I was more than ready to set off again. Then Max declared that he was coming with us!<p>

_Oh, no!_

* * *

><p><strong>Max<strong>

May explained to me about how Cor and his team were all hybrids from another planet. It sounded crazy, but since I'd just had it very obviously proven, I wasn't about to disbelieve it.

I looked up at the Sneasel, who'd turned back into a Pokemon and was riding on Brock's shoulder. "Hey, um…Kerra, right? Uh…thanks for saving me back there…"

She glanced down at me. The sheer amount of ice in that glance alone made my voice trail off.

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for your dad."

* * *

><p>It didn't make sense until our next stop. We were all eating lunch, and the hybrids were choosing to sit on the other side of the picnic from me.<p>

Well…all but the Spinarak. He was sitting somewhere in the middle.

I remembered something I'd seen on his shirt when he'd been in his…what had May called it…his true form?

"Um…Spinarak?"

He turned to look at me. "Byrony."

I'll count that as progress: Kerra won't even acknowledge me right now.

"I, um, saw something on your shirt back when you…went hybrid…was that a _police badge?_"

He sighed. Then he walked over to me, climbed onto my legs, and flipped over.

It _was_ a police badge! "You're on a police squadron?"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing out here?"

"I had come with Cor so that I could learn English. Now…I just haven't gotten around to going back."

I picked him up and held him up so that he was facing me. "Why do all your friends hate me right now?"

I couldn't read his expression. Then he cocked his head. "Put me down." When I did, he morphed back to his true form. His pose was a little distracting to watch him get into: he crossed his legs, leaned back on his lower arms and set his upper hands on his knees. Plus, he kept twitching his mandibles; I'm not sure he was aware that he was doing that.

"I'll tell you what happened from a hybrid's point of view, and you can't say anything until I've finished."

"_That'll_ take a miracle," May muttered snidely.

I turned to glare at her, but a three-fingered _claw_ caught my chin and turned me so that I was facing him again. "Promise?"

It occurred to me that he wasn't going to let go of my face until after I actually promised. "Uh…okay, I promise."

He let go and sat back again. "Okay. Here's how the hybrids saw what happened. First off, we can hear everything happening outside from in the Poke Balls, and those with the noses can smell what's happening."

I nodded, waiting for him to go on.

"Ash and Cor came to your father's gym; Ash looking for a battle, Cor looking for his friends. You appear and call yourself the Gym Leader. Cor I believe was inclined to doubt your claim, since you apparently didn't smell like you had any Pokemon of your own, but he chose not to say anything. _I_ certainly didn't know that you were anything other than what you claimed to be until after your father showed up. But I digress. You hear that Ash is…unwilling to use more than Pikachu, and you immediately start insulting him by turning the past victories you'd heard of into defeats." His gaze hardened. "This is forbidden by hybrids. It counts as a Taunt, and therefore can only be used inside a battle. If your tongue-lashing had actually had some point to it, it'd be different, but you were simply belittling everything Ash held in high regard to himself. Since you were faking being a Gym Leader, and as such were testing Ash's resolve, Cor let it slide with a warning. But then your father appeared and called himself the Gym Leader. In hybrid eyes, this made you slide downward from a Pokemon Trainer to a rude, obnoxious, bratty, spoiled…"

He named off a few other not-quite-polite adjectives while I gritted my teeth. I was determined to keep my promise, but this Bug was making it very hard. _Maybe _he's_ testing _my_ resolve to keep my mouth shut._

"…Know-it-all nobody."

That did it. "Nobody?" I snapped. "My dad's the Gym Leader in – mmph!"

"That's your dad," Byrony answered, as calm as if he hadn't just String-Shot a gag over my mouth. "Just because your dad is Somebody doesn't mean you're Anybody, by hybrid standards. You have to make a name for yourself before we will listen to you to have such…vocal free rein. Anyway, after your dad appeared, you had gone down in hybrid eyes, but we were still choosing to be charitable."

I had thought that his eyes couldn't _get_ any harder. I was wrong; they may as well have been Steelix-hard now. "But then you ignored Cor's warning and started insulting Ash again. That shoved you past the pale and into the deadly territory of Unforgivable, and as such sparked a reaction in the younger hybrids. Kerra and I, fortunately, kept enough of a hold of our own anger at your words to keep the young ones from seriously injuring you." He grabbed my chin again and leaned over, staring me right in the face. "Do not mistake that mercy for forgiveness. It could cost you dearly."

His mandibles snapped practically right in front of my face and I flinched. Then he pulled back and the webbing came with him. _Oh._

_Now I'll have to be extra nice to get them to like me._

"Um…how long will it take you guys to forgive me?" I figured "forgive" was a better word than "forget."

He studied me again. "Don't expect miracles. Kerra will take the longest to warm up to you. I'd say that Safara would take just as long to cool down, but she's also only about your age. As a general rule, the older a hybrid is, the longer it takes for them to forgive an insult. Fire and Ice are the exceptions."

I glanced at Kerra again as Byrony morphed back into a Pokemon. She was glaring at me.

_This could be awkward…_

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: "Awkward" is an understatement!_**


	3. Stone Badge and Safara's New Look

**_Stone Badge and Safara's New Look_**

**Cor**

There was stony silence between me and Max for several days. Finally we found someplace interesting just before we got to Rustboro City: a Contest Hall! Two trainers named Janet and Chaz told us all about Contests.

"Strength isn't what matters to a Coordinator, but the beauty of it."

We got to see a contest in action, since we got there too late to actually enter. It reminded me of several things I'd seen back home.

May declared as we left that she was going to enter a Pokemon Contest someday.

"You know," I added, "I might go out for that, too."

"You too?" May sounded surprised.

"Yeah! None of my friends are strong enough to compete with the Pokemon here in actual battles, but in a Contest, where strength doesn't matter…"

"Well, in that case," May gave me a stern look, though she was still smiling, "we're rivals!"

I smiled right back and glanced at Deseronto, who was helping Pikachu learn Iron Tail while he helped her. "I'd try to learn that move too, but my tail's too whippy for Iron Tail."

* * *

><p>When we actually got to Rustboro City, we almost immediately started sightseeing. I finally found the Pokemon Center and settled down with my team on a bench. "Hey, listen…which of you would like to be in Pokemon Contests?" I was talking to all but Safara.<p>

Kerra studied her claws, Dess scratched her ear, and Byrony closed his eyes. I'd been around them just long enough to know that this was what each of them did when they were thinking.

Dess looked up first. "I think it'd be a lot of fun!"

Kerra looked up next. "Well, I might get some decent fight experience out of it anyway…and I don't have anything better to do."

Byrony finally opened his eyes. "I'll be going back to the police station someday. And besides, beauty just isn't my thing."

May suddenly came over. "Hey, why aren't you asking Safara?"

"And risk getting falsely arrested for Pokemon poaching?"

"Oh. Well, um, couldn't you dye her fur or something?"

"You're seriously asking me to put a potentially flammable substance on a _Fire_ Pokemon? Although…" I cocked my head and started thinking. "We _could_ make her a suit that's colored like a regular Vulpix, to hide the fact that she's pink while onstage. It'd have to be fireproof and pretty durable…" I stood up quickly. "I need to go shopping."

* * *

><p>This was a harder task than it sounded, because I didn't have any money. But I finally – thanks to Brock, who thought my idea was a good one and with the right reasons – got a hold of some fabric in the two correct colors, which had all the requirements: fire resistance, durability, and breathability. Add seven zippers (one beige and six red), a spool of black thread and a package of needles to that, and I was all ready!<p>

I'd already decided I wasn't going to watch Ash battling for his Stone Badge, because there wasn't that much point. Either he'd get the badge on his first try, or he'd go for a rematch as many times as he needed to in order to get the badge.

"Nurse Joy? Could my friends and I have a room to ourselves for a while? There's a project I need to work on, and one of my friends…really needs to avoid being seen until the project's done."

"Oh…okay."

Once we were shut in, I laid everything out and released my friends. "Byrony, I'm going to need your help with this. I can't sew, but I've never heard of an Insect-hybrid who can't…"

He cocked his head from side to side, the Spinarak equivalent of a shrug. "What else do you need?"

I showed him a sketch I'd made. It wasn't very good, but it definitely was a Vulpix wearing a suit that covered her from tail-tips to ankles and neck. "The easiest way for us to make a pattern for this is to wrap Safara up in webbing and then cut her out along specific lines."

"Okay…" Byrony shifted back to his true form. "Let's get this done."

It took him longer to wrap Safara than most criminals, probably because he was trying to get only one layer and to make sure he could still see her shape, including unwinding each tail's natural curl to catch that up in webbing. "If we don't actually cover the entire length of the tail," he explained, "then it won't look right."

When he was done, I took a marker, picked up Safara, and carefully made lines on her: tracing around shoulder and hip on each side and around the base of her tails, dividing each tail, a line down her stomach, a line down and across the inside of each leg, and a line up each tail.

Then I whispered, "Go spreadeagle and hold it, Saffy," and tossed her into the air. "Kerra, spot the lines!"

Kerra crouched, her eyes following Safara and her claws on the ready, and then she leaped!

It _looked_ like she went right _past_ Safara without doing anything, but when she landed, while Safara was still in midair, the white webbing covering just _shattered!_

…Into the pieces I'd designated!

"Sweet moves! I didn't even see your claws _touch_ her! Um, you _didn't_ touch _her_, right?" I caught her as she fell and studied her as Dess caught the falling pieces. (Safara was fine.)

Then Dess spread out the brown fabric and laid out most of the pieces on them. "So…" she gave a wicked look at Kerra, "can you do that again on a flat surface?"

"Hold on," Byrony stopped the Sneasel from jumping. "Dess, Cor, weigh down those corners with something. Kerra, when you move this time, make sure each piece of fabric is slightly bigger than the pattern piece – I need something to sew."

She nodded at him while we found some random heavy objects to hold the corners down. Then she ran all over the fabric, swiping periodically.

In just a couple of minutes, all the pieces were free. Kerra got promoted to thread-cutter, and Dess and I each chose to hold edges together for Byrony, who was sewing my pieces with his top pair of hands and Dess's pieces with his lower pair of hands.

…At the _same time._ How was he even _doing_ that?

Safara wandered off somewhere. I vaguely called after, "Stay close, and if you're going somewhere public then go human."

It was only ten minutes before we were done, and Safara was called back in to try it on. The beige zipper was down her stomach, mimicking her actual belly pattern, and the red zippers were along inside edges of her tails, making it easier to actually put onto her curled tips.

I was holding her up while Byrony slipped her tails and back legs into the getup, and I could only imagine how unsettling that must feel. He finished zipping up her tails – "Okay, Cor, you can get her forelegs in now" – and I finished zipping her in. Then we all sat back and looked.

She looked like a perfectly ordinary Vulpix…with pink paws and a pink head.

Byrony rubbed his chin. "Her paws could be mistaken for fancy boots, but…"

"Yeah," I agreed. "We need to do something to hide the pink on her head."

"I won't need this all the time, will I?" Safara asked, studying one cuff.

"No, when you're in your true form you clearly weren't poached from anywhere."

"What makes any mask tricky in combat," Byrony went on as if neither of us had spoken, "is if something catches the eyehole or mouth hole and yanks it. Either it tears, which this fabric won't, or the mask gets twisted. What we'll need for those is something sticky to hold those places down flush with her skin."

"What about my nose?" Safara tapped her little black nose.

"Because of your muzzle format, your nose will hold its opening in place, presuming we make sure it fits properly."

I stepped outside. "You three figure it out."

* * *

><p>I left them alone for a good fifteen minutes after that. Ash came back to tell me that he won his Stone Badge!<p>

"So how's things been going with you guys?" Brock asked as he, May and Max caught up. "Last I heard, you were making a suit for Safara so that she could wander around in the open more."

"Ah…we ran into technical difficulties. Nothing serious."

"What's 'technical difficulties' mean?" Safara's voice suddenly rounded the corner.

Byrony, Dess and Kerra all came over to me – in human forms – and Kerra had something behind her back. "We asked Nurse Joy what we could use," Dess spoke first, "and she suggested something called, um, 'spirit gum.' She said it was used in stage costumes all the time!"

Byrony added, "Not only that, but she had apparently once wanted to be an actress, and still had some of that stuff in her back room!" He held up a small round tub. "She just gave it to us, just like that!"

"And…" Kerra looked over her shoulder.

A Vulpix sprang up onto it.

A perfectly ordinary Vulpix…with pink 'boots.'

"Looking good, Safara!" Max called from his shorter vantage point. "But, um, you guys missed a spot…or four."

"Any covering on her feet," Byrony explained, "would cause her to lose traction when she's running. As it happens, not many people notice a small Pokemon's paws when they're just standing on the ground, so if anyone does notice, they'll simply think that Safara's wearing pink socks. They don't know that in reality, such a covering would be a problem, and there's no reason to enlighten them."

"Can I take this off now?" she asked plaintively. "It's starting to itch a little."

We all laughed, my team took her into the back room, and they came back with all of them Pokemon, Safara fully pink again and Byrony carrying the costume and talking about adding some pink lace to the ankle cuffs so that her paws really would look like pink boots. I packed the costume up, recalled everybody except Kerra, and we set off again.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: I realized that this would be the only way Safara would get more screen time. Besides, I think it's cute!<strong>


	4. Knuckle Badge

_**Knuckle Badge**_

**Cor**

I swear, sometimes wandering around after Ash gets tiresome. Still, since his journeying takes him practically all over the world, it gives me a chance to look everywhere for my friends.

…Why am I even calling them my friends, though? I barely know them! Still, it's my responsibility. Literally – one of the games we'd played…I think it was Reva who asked this question, which made it halfway serious…the question was, if something happened to separate us before we'd learned the language of our destination, who'd go looking for us? I was the only person to say that I would, "starting with Safara, here."

* * *

><p>Anyway, back to the trip…<p>

Ash's next goal was to get to Dewford Island. After a bit of trouble with some new villain team, we all managed to get a ride with a retired sailor named Briney. We ran into trouble with some Sharpedo, but we finally made it to Dewford Town and Ash challenged the Dewford Gym Leader, Brawly.

And what do you know, Ash lost!

After that, we had several misadventures that ranged from silly to serious, Ash caught a Corphish, and Brock caught a Mudkip. Finally, Ash got his rematch with the Gym Leader, and this time he won his Knuckle Badge.

* * *

><p>We had some interesting times getting back to the mainland. Still.<p>

A retired Coordinator invited us to his house to help May's Contest performance. I wasn't quite as worried as she was; I just stepped outside with my team and started watching them practice. Byrony sat with me.

Safara was trying to get some new results by mixing Ember with Tail Whip. She was coming up with some interesting light shows.

Dess was trying the same sort of thing with Thundershock and Tail Whip, getting the same sorts of results with electricity.

Kerra…was struggling a bit. Finally, I asked, "What attacks do you know?"

"Huh? Oh: Scratch, Leer, Taunt, Quick Attack, Screech, and Faint Attack. Why?"

"Try Scratch, Quick Attack and Screech all at once."

"Oh…okay."

She tried it and achieved something resembling a miniature sonic boom!

"Oh yeah, definitely remember that one!" I glanced at Byrony. "You know, it's really too bad you're not into this stuff. I can imagine some pretty weird-cool stuff happening by mixing Night Shade, String Shot or Poison Sting in whatever combination."

"Yeah…if I had any better aim, maybe."


	5. Jirachi Wish Maker

_**Jirachi Wish Maker**_

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

It all started while we were travelling at night, and May wanted to see a comet. We settled down on a cliff near a carnival site. I was too uptight to sleep. And so I, along with Pikachu, saw the Millennium Carnival team first show up!

Lights lit up, rides were built, and we watched as a tent was built using pure magic!

After that, I was _way_ too excited to sleep! The next day, we rode on some rides, and then went to a magic show!

A Kirlia was made to appear out of a hat, and then shut in a box, covered with a carpet, and the whole thing was set on fire, and a woman appeared!

The magician's name was Butler…humans have odd names sometimes…and his assistant was named Diane.

Max seemed….preoccupied. And then he and Ash ran right down to the stage. I tuned them out, sure they'd make fools of themselves. As it turned out, the Great Butler put them into his show. Then we had to blast off Team Rocket; I joined in, throwing Byrony out. "Go true form!"

He did, extending out to his full three-foot-something inches of height to catch Mightyena and Kirlia as they fell. He carried them down to the stage, and took his bows with the rest of the performers.

**Byrony**

"By the way," Butler turned towards me, "this is quite the impressive costume!"

I glanced up. "Uh…thanks, but it's…not a costume." I shifted into a Spinarak and started running off.

Max picked me up. "He's a hybrid, from outer space."

_Max…I wasn't going to bring that up!_

Butler looked surprised for about two seconds. Then he held his hand out to me. "Well! And what is your name?"

I stared at his hand for a minute. Then I shifted back to my true form, causing Max to drop me, and used Butler's hand to get back to my feet. "Byrony."

He shook my hand. "It's an honor to meet you!"

"My…friends…back in the audience…I mean, the one I was pretending to belong to, and the rest of his team…we're all hybrids."

**Cor**

We got together again, and Butler explained to us about Jirachi. Apparently, Jirachi was inside a rock that he'd found.

Butler gave the rock to Max, saying that it needed a friend and the comet in order to come out. As May chased Max around, Ash looked at me. "Hey, uh…are there legends about Jirachi back at your home?"

I nodded. "The legends are the same, but Jirachi always looks, in its true form, like a girl about Max's age, and really cute."

* * *

><p>We went shopping that evening, and May got a wishing star pendant that looked like something that came from my home.<p>

* * *

><p>When darkness fell, all the lights were turned off and we saw the Millennium Comet!<p>

May hummed a small lullaby for Max, who was dozing off. My ears twitched.

Then the rock started glowing, and we all heard a voice in our heads! "_**The star…it's calling me!**_**"**

Jirachi floated up, freed itself from the rock, and floated back down to Max. We all introduced ourselves, and then we camped out in Butler's bus.

Max tried wishing for candy and, well…candy appeared. But it had just, according to Butler, been transported from somewhere else in the carnival.

Then Jirachi fell asleep, and we had to put all the candy back ourselves. May wasn't happy with that, even if it was mostly the hybrids' doing.

* * *

><p>The next day, we all became part of the show! Even us hybrids!<p>

But that evening…Kerra started getting a sense of foreboding. And when it's Kerra, a Dark-type we're talking about…

Called it. An Absol showed up. Butler caught it in a trap and Kirlia made it fall asleep. _That shouldn't have worked._

All us hybrids were making Millennium Wishes: one last night, and one tonight.

Then, of all things, we had to save Jirachi from Butler himself! The Absol helped us with that.

Jirachi wanted to go home.

* * *

><p>We took off in the bus, and Diane explained what was going on. Butler wanted to use Jirachi's energy to create a Groudon.<p>

I looked at Kerra the Sneasel. "How are you doing?"

"Hmm…"

_That doesn't bode well._

I sensed outwards, and picked up that Absol was staying with us, following.

* * *

><p>For days, we travelled, over some harsh terrain. Night five, Ash had to talk to Max over the fact that Jirachi was leaving. I stared up at the comet.<p>

We made it to Jirachi's home, and spent the night there.

I stared up at the comet again. _Why do I have the feeling this isn't going to end well?_ That was my last coherent thought before falling asleep.

* * *

><p>Day seven, we walked further, and Absol led us to where Jirachi was supposed to be.<p>

Jirachi got ready to absorb energy from the comet. Then Butler captured Jirachi again!

Then he put us in a trap!

I growled. And then…I don't know what made me call out the name I did. It just felt right. "_**Sylvan**__!_"

Absol charged in and blasted one of the points out, a Flygon did, too, and suddenly a Cacnea vaulted in and blasted the last one to free us!

Ash and Max flew out on the Flygon, with the Cacnea grabbing hold of the Flygon's tail! He vaulted off and landed on the machine with Max and Pikachu, while Ash and Flygon distracted Butler. Then they got back onto the Flygon, and came back down.

The Cacnea was a hybrid! "Sylvan!" I yelped!

He stared at me, and then made a happy face and hugged me.

"Ouch! Now I know how James feels!"

Then a Groudon appeared…and yet…it wasn't a Groudon! Absol tried attacking it, but that didn't work, and in fact, the Absol got captured in something Groudon shot out, and then it started using those things to capture all the Pokemon, and even Team Rocket! They were all trapped inside the Groudon!

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Butler all but wailed. "That isn't Groudon – that's evil! It's pure evil!"

I turned towards him and answered dispassionately, "So's what you wanted to do to Jirachi."

Then Diane was captured from right in front of Butler, and we had to run! May and Brock were caught, and then we kept running, and Jirachi saved us once! But then we had to keep right on running from _everything_ the Groudon was throwing at us! Flygon picked us all up, and we had to dodge, fly, and zoom all over creation. Butler came with a plan, and Jirachi saved Butler from a fall.

We landed, and I suddenly spoke. "If Sylvan and I stay on Flygon with Ash and Max, there's no way it'll be able to fly fast enough to evade those tentacle things. We'll stay with Butler and help him out." I turned to the new hybrid. "**Did you follow that?**"

He stared at me. Then he nodded. "**The human on the Salamence was evil, but now he's good.**"

"**Right. We're staying with him.**" I turned to Butler and mumbled, "He doesn't speak English yet. I hope Jirachi grants that wish when this is over, but if not…can I ask for Kirlia's help?"

He nodded, and we all set off again.

* * *

><p>We got back over to the machine, and all us hybrids started helping Butler reset the machine. Ash, Max and Jirachi turned up to help with the machine, and the dragons went flying to attack Groudon.<p>

Ash was pulling on the last switch, and Groudon ultimately captured Butler. All us hybrids stepped around to make a living shield around Jirachi, and we threw any projectile attack, until it all but fell on us.

And then, Jirachi really started absorbing the evil Groudon!

Everyone reappeared on the ground, and the energy returned to the land. Jirachi came back down to us, shining like a star.

Jirachi wished we'd sing the lullaby for it…and we all did for it, since it was Jirachi's last night, and all. We weren't quite in tune, and Sylvan wasn't participating, but it was still wonderful.

I wondered, as Jirachi entered the ground again, if any of the hybrids had remembered to carry their wishes all through the seven nights. I had, and my wish was: _to find all of my shipmates and help them find where they belonged_.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Butler released Kirlia for me, and I picked it up and whispered to it what it was supposed to do. Kirlia raised its hands and gently touched Sylvan's forehead.<p>

"Kirlia, I know you work better with a command, so…Hypnosis."

"_**Okay.**_"

Sylvan's eyes fell shut. I knew he wasn't technically asleep – just in a trance.

Then his eyes blinked open again, and he demonstrated his sense of humor. "Testing, one, two…"

Ash started laughing, as did everyone else. I gave Kirlia back to Butler, and we parted ways.

Literally: Sylvan decided he was staying there. "I don't think I'd be comfortable living with humans."

"Sure thing." I gave him his bag of stuff before we left.

I wondered, as we set off on the road again, how I'd known that Sylvan was anywhere in the area. I suppose some mysteries will never be solved.


	6. Searches Over: Gryphon!

_**Searches Over: Gryphon!**_

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

Days on the road all start looking the same after a while, even with Ash. Even entering cities didn't change that much. It was interesting watching Ash battle, and it was fun trying to get a contest ribbon. I didn't get one this time, but…what have you.

Really interesting, though, was when we went into a canyon and met a girl named Michelle and her Bagon – soon evolving to a Shelgon. I'd wound up showing them what I really looked like.

"**I saw something like you when I was jumping off cliffs.**"

I looked at Shelgon. "Like me?"

"**Like you…and like me, too. Me before I evolved, that is.**"

_Gryphon!_ "Where was this?"

He wobbled up and pointed back. "**It was running into the side of the cliff. It looked like it was using Rage.**"

_Hoo boy…_ "Thanks. Come on, guys!" I waved and started running.

"What'd he say?" Ash protested as we ran.

"He spotted a Bagon-hybrid! And since it's a Bagon we're talking about, I think I know him!"

We finally found the site. Sure enough, there he was. He was charging into the wall with all his force. I caught a glimpse of his face; he looked ticked.

"Um…" May looked nervous. "Should we get his attention before he brings that cliff down on him?"

I studied him as he backed up again. "From the looks of things, he's already had two cliffs fall on him. And right now, he's not going to notice some humans calling to him, because he doesn't speak English."

"So what do we do?" Max asked.

I sighed as Gryphon charged into the cliff again. "Pikachu?"

"**Yeah?**"

"Thunderbolt him on his moment of stillness before he runs again."

"**Okay.**"

"Is that a good idea?" Max again.

"It's the only way to get a berserker's attention. All I can hope is that he's stunned enough afterwards to where I can talk to him."

Gryphon ran back again, got ready to run…

"**Thunder-**_**bolt!**_"

Direct hit, and Gryphon was sitting on the ground, dazed!

I only had about a thirty-second window before he snapped out of it, so I morphed back to my true form and ran over to him. "_**Hail, Gryphon! Remember me?**_"

His large armored head swung around towards me. I studied him as he sat there. He was probably about my height – the three-foot range, four feet at the tallest – though proportioned differently.

Belatedly remembering my evolution, I added, "_**Of course, the last time you saw me, I was shorter and had a fluffier tail.**_"

He glared at me. Then he finally spoke. "_**Your name escapes me, but I do remember a brown fuzzball."**_

I winced. Eevees were held in fairly low regard because of how many of us there were. "_**Yeah…that was me: Cor.**_" Wanting to change the subject, I asked, "_**Why were you pounding on the poor cliff, anyway?**_"

He stared blankly at me for a second. Then he lowered his head and muttered something that sounded like "Guilt."

"_**The shuttle crash? That wasn't your fault, Gryphon – you only **_**saw**_** that shuttle the day you were going to leave, and you only barely got instructions for flying it! They were **_**expecting**_** you to crash the stupid thing! We were lucky it lifted off!**_" I cocked my head, an idea coming to me. "_**Now, if you **_**really**_** want to be punished for a mistake…since coming here, I've been playing coach to the team of shuttle friends I've been able to find. If you joined my team, you'd be potentially going into fights against Pokemon that are twice your height! If you don't mind being bossed around by an Espeon and staying in your Pokemon form…**_"

He stood up and looked down at me for a minute. Then he held out his right hand.

I sighed. This was probably going to wind up the typical Bagon agreement/greeting ritual: clasp right hands, smack shoulders with left hands…bang heads. Oh well, I was asking for it. I'd never actually gone through this ordeal – I mean, ritual – but I had seen it between two Bagon, hence the reason I even knew about it.

I shook hands with him. Sure enough, it happened exactly as I remembered seeing. After his head hit mine, I couldn't see anything for a few seconds – just white light.

Nothing wrong with my hearing, though – Max asked, "Is it just me, or was there a flash of light right on that impact?"

I turned away from Gryphon, blinking rapidly. "It wouldn't surprise me."

Then Gryphon spoke up. "So, Coach, are you going to introduce me to your companions?"

That got me swiveling back around towards him. "Oh, _that's_ what the flash of light was!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It doesn't matter if I add the introductions or not; this is probably the only time Cor gives some hybrid the English language, though.**


	7. Byrony the Hero!

**_Byrony the Hero!_**

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

We had several crazy adventures, and even got to see Misty again! I finally got a hold of a contest ribbon, and Ash got another badge.

Then we entered the Valley of Steel.

**Byrony**

I was out of the ball at the time. I'm not sure why anymore. I was just hanging out clinging to Cor's back.

Then an explosion sent May and her Torchic off a cliff!

I leaped off Cor's back, shifting to my true form on the way, and then leaped off the cliff after her!

Arrowing all my arms backwards and spreading my side mandibles wide, I sped down, aiming for May. Closer…closer…

My side mandibles snapped around May's waist like a ring with a notch in it getting fitted around a pole that was just barely small enough, and I swiveled around her to fire String Shot from both upper hands up at the cliff.

They both caught, and I swung towards the cliff face, taking her with me! My feet hit the wall, and she lost her grip on Torchic! I only barely managed to get a lower hand back and around one of his legs (a perfect fit, frankly; that's the size of my hand)!

"_**Thank you!**_"

Then I found I had a small problem. Okay, a lot of small problems.

First of all, May was a bit taller than me, which meant she was probably about half again as heavy as me – insect-hybrids are on the light side – and I was supporting her with my neck!

Second, I'd caught her with my side mandibles, and her waist only barely fit there, which meant that I was having trouble breathing past her body. Granted, there were worse smells I could be stuck with, but when you're having trouble getting air, you're in no position to appreciate it.

And finally, I didn't know how far we'd fallen, so I didn't know how far up I had to go to get May to safety.

_One problem at a time. First, you need to get May into a position that's out of your way._

With my free hand, I adjusted May's legs so that they were folded on my chest. She'd grabbed hold of my horn – I didn't mind if it helped her feel stable – and she was shaking.

_Next, I need to start moving, one step at a time…_

Slowly, carefully, I shifted my position so that my upper hands were gripping the wall and started up the side of the cliff. I was vaguely aware of Ash yelling down at us, and May yelling back – okay, I could tell easier what she was saying, partly because of her position. "We're fine! Don't worry, we're coming up!"

After an eternity, I felt my hands touch the edge of the cliff, and I pulled myself up far enough so that my chest – and May's legs – was over solid ground.

I threw Torchic in the direction of Max's voice. No, I wasn't being mean: I couldn't see the ground to set Torchic down safely, and I needed that hand. Using all of my hands, I walked a little further onto the cliff, and May set her legs down.

_Final step: __**get May away from my face.**_

I set my lower hands against May, one above my mandibles and one below, and gave her a hard shove. I could just about _feel_ the snap that was her coming free, and as she staggered backwards into Ash, I gasped in my first real breath of air since I'd jumped and collapsed on my chin, my legs still hanging off the cliff. (Insect-hybrids don't fall on our faces when we're dead-tired; it's the side mandibles, you see. Trained reflex has us looking up when we fall forward, so as not to get hurt.)

Gryphon laughed. Now when had _he_ been released? "Weakling."

Now that warranted a response, which I gave while watching my side mandibles, which were snapping open and closed repeatedly (intentional movement; when you've been carrying something heavy with your mouth, the automatic reaction is to want to open and close your mouth a lot to try to get it feeling normal again afterwards). "You're not…the one…who…carried…half again your weight…up three times your height…with your face."

May walked over until she was standing in front of my face, and I glanced up. She was holding out a hand to me. "Thank you."

I studied her hand for a second. Then I reached up with an upper hand, grasping the extended hand. Then I circled around with its match to grab her wrist, and as I got my feet slowly back onto the cliff again, I got my lower hands catching her forearm as I effectively climbed to my feet.

This unnerved her a little, if her face was anything to go by, but thankfully, she didn't say anything, and she didn't jump away as soon as I let go of her arm, which was gratifying.

**Cor**

Bottom line of the Valley of Steel: Ash caught an overly emotional Torkoal.


	8. Balance BadgeDestiny Deoxys!

**_Balance Badge/Destiny Deoxys!_**

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

We finally, after another contest or two, made it back to Petalburg City. I wound up on the edge of my seat watching Ash's rematch with May's dad!

Ash ultimately won, but we'd had to do some talking to Max to help him understand how it was okay to lose.

This was what ultimately helped the hybrids who'd seen his first performance warm up to him again, me included.

* * *

><p>Soon after that, Professor Oak came by to visit, showing May and Max the starter Pokemon for the Indigo League. I also introduced him to Gryphon.<p>

We set off again, and one of our odder stops had May obtaining a Bulbasaur.

* * *

><p>Then things got strange…<p>

We arrived at a really high-tech city. A robot took our pictures and gave us passports, and Ash got tripped by a moving walkway.

Ash ran off once we got to the Battle Tower in order to register. May looked at me. "Hey, Cor, are you going to, um…morph?"

"Uh…I don't want to freak the system, so…probably not.

We spotted Ash and some other kid in the arena, facing off against some trainers we'd met on the walkway.

The battle barely started, and already things weren't going so well. The kid didn't have any Pokemon, so Ash had to let him borrow one of his. Then the two were getting hammered!

"Something's wrong with the kid!" I leaped up and ran out of the seating. I…confess I was taking some maneuvers that a human, by all rights, wasn't supposed to be able to do.

* * *

><p>We stopped for lunch. This one woman with us, she was very impressed with my display of talent, as she called it.<p>

"Oh…" I fussed with my hair sheepishly, "I work out a lot."

Apparently, the boy Tory was afraid of Pokemon, ever since an event four years ago.

We set off to find Tory, to help him get over his fear. "Hey, Cor," Brock asked, "do you think seeing that you're a hybrid will help him, or traumatize him further?"

"I think that he should get over his fear _before_ he sees what I really am."

* * *

><p>Suddenly, I started sensing something – something that made my forehead gem reappear on my human face!<p>

"Uh…what's up, Cor?" Max asked, looking confused. "I thought you weren't going to shift!"

I rubbed my gem. "I wasn't. Something strange his going on here, and it's affecting the psychic energy around here and causing me to morph a little."

Then a purple light show started in the sky!

"You mean that?" May pointed up.

"Probably." We hurried off to see what it was.

We finally caught Tory and Ash after the light show stopped, and Brock gave us all some food. (I was just glad my forehead jewel had receded back into my human face, but the fact that it had formed at all was leaving me a little preoccupied.)

At least when Tory ran off again, he didn't look quite so scared, and he almost touched Pikachu beforehand.

* * *

><p>I couldn't sleep that night, and neither could anyone else – we saw the light in the sky again, and my forehead jewel reappeared!<p>

Brock's crush called it an aurora, and that it shouldn't be appearing here. I rubbed my forehead. "It's of a psychic origin, that's all I can say."

"You mean," Brock added, "that's why your, uh…you've been so preoccupied?"

"Uh-huh."

Tory came by with some treats, and we all released our Pokemon and my friends. I whispered in my language, "_**The new kid's afraid of Pokemon, so go easy on him.**_"

Everyone was having fun, including Tory, but I was still worried. Finally, the light disappeared again, but my forehead gem hadn't subsided.

* * *

><p>The next day, Tory took us to see his friend. It was a glowing thing of light, or something.<p>

Then an alarm sounded, and we couldn't get out!

Suddenly, a power surge hit me, and I felt a trigger in my DNA code! It was all I could do to keep my shape from changing, but I dropped in size!

Then we saw Deoxys, and clones of it that it made started trying to carry us off! We had to leave through an underground exit!

"Cor," Tory asked once we were out, "did you…shrink?"

"Um…yeah…that's something I didn't want to mention until you had gotten a bit more used to Pokemon." I sighed. "I'm not human. I'm what's called a hybrid, and I'm from outer space."

"Really?"

"Really. This is my actual size. As for my true form…promise you won't freak out?"

"I..I promise."

"Good." I took a breath and closed my eyes. "Since Deoxys appeared, it's been harder for me to hold the human form anyway." I shifted to my true form.

* * *

><p>And the Poke Balls wouldn't work. I could only imagine how poor Safara was feeling, since she could hear us. I hadn't let her out to see Tory's friend.<p>

Actually, all my friends were still in their balls. I was the only battle-ready hybrid.

We were told about Deoxys, and then we got visitors: a Plusle, Minun and Munchlax!

Most of us went out to get food and water. I stayed behind with the girls and Max.

Finally, everyone who went out came back, although Minun was missing.

* * *

><p>Then we had to escape at dawn, because our hiding place had been discovered!<p>

The underground lab we hid in had Tory's friend: Deoxys! A second Deoxys, that was still mostly dormant! The Deoxys threatening the city was simply looking for its friend, the green one!

We started on a plan. I pulled out Dess's Poke ball and stared at it for a long minute. "Come on, Dess…you can bust out of this! You went into it of your own free will, so you've _got_ to be able to get out!"

A minute of silence passed. Then, sure enough, the ball shattered in my hand! As she formed, I absently noted, "I'll have to get you a new ball."

Dess stayed with our resident scientist, while I ran with the others and spotted a battle with Rayquaza!

We started working to free everybody, and got everyone out!

Then I went to help power the wind turbines, while Ash, Tory, Pikachu and Plusle went to help our Green Deoxys.

**Dess**

I was poised and ready to possibly use a Thundershock. I'd shown Tory what I really looked like.

We were needed, all us Electrics, to regenerate Deoxys! I was thrilled to help them! And just when I was wondering if I could give enough, it worked!

Deoxys picked us up, Ash, Tory and me, and took us to find its friend! We saw Cor, and he ran to follow us!

Then the force field went down!

**Cor**

I caught up and we got to see a spectacular light show, green and purple mixing together!

Then Rayquaza came back and started chasing the two! They blasted it, pulled us all out of harm's way, and then started leading Rayquaza on a merry chase!

Then we had to shut down security blacks! It was all up to Tory!

We surfed along on a hot dog machine, and Pikachu and Ash got to the robot!

Finally, all the power in the security bots was turned off. But of course, we were stranded. The Deoxys had to save us from the piles.

At least Rayquaza and the Deoxys were getting along now, and the Rayquaza left.

And Tory had gotten over his fear of Pokemon!

The two Deoxys let off a light show to say goodbye, and they left together.

And finally, _finally,_ I could return to a human form.


	9. New Sensations

_**New Sensations**_

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

As we traveled and encountered more things, I thought about what had been happening to me all this time. So many sensations…that I knew nothing about…

_Well…technically, an Eevee who evolves to Espeon is supposed to receive some very specific training afterwards…almost right alongside Umbreon. No other Eeveelution – well, maybe a couple others – but very few others actually need such specific instruction in their element. Grass, fire, electricity, water, and ice…they're all easy to understand. Wind is a bit less so, but at least it's fairly self-explanatory. And every other Eeveelution that I haven't seen around here…the only other one that actually needs such detailed instruction is the Ghost._ I sighed._ Of course I had to pick one of the most complex elements to evolve into!_

"You okay, Cor?"

"Huh?" I turned to look at Ash. "Oh, I'm fine. Just…thinking."

Kerra looked down at me from her vantage point of Brock's shoulder. (Don't ask me why she was up _there_, instead of on _my_ shoulder.) "Still trying to get used to evolving, huh?"

I stared. "How'd you…"

"Eevees are nearly mentally deaf. It makes sense that you're having a bit of trouble with how you're reacting to everything around you. Your sixth sense turning on is like…suddenly being able to see when you'd been blind all your life."

I sighed again. "That's exactly what it's like. I have no idea what anything is, and you can't teach me. Just because you know what my problem is doesn't mean you can instruct me in what to do."

"Well…that's true. Dark-types are definitely mentally deaf. That means we need to find Reva as soon as possible."

I'd almost forgotten about Reva. That Ralts would definitely be able to help me figure out what all these new sensations meant.

"Too bad you didn't get the info on Psychics before you left."

I rolled my eyes. "Kerra, when I got on board that shuttle, I didn't even know if I was _going_ to evolve, let alone into Espeon!"

She just laughed. And that left me for some reason feeling even more irritated.

"Are you feeling smugly superior or something? Because let me remind you, I'm still your coach."

Kerra finally settled down.

Then I voiced aloud, "Does anyone I'm carrying around actually know Reva?" I wasn't truly expecting any of my friends to actually remember her that well.

So imagine my surprise when Dess popped out of her new ball. "I knew her, a little."

"And? Where would she likely end up?"

"She's…kind of shy. She'll probably be pretty hard to find. I'm sorry."

"Great. Just great. So my hunt for a Ralts will be difficult."


	10. Badge Seven

_**Badge Seven**_

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

I stretched and yawned, feeling boredom overtake me. Ash's battle with the seventh set of Gym leaders had been fascinating, but that had been a couple of days ago, and now…I had nothing to distract me.

Oh yeah: I no longer had Byrony on my team. That rescue of his had been something of a breakthrough for him, and I'd transported him back to the police station. It left me hoping I'd find another shipmate quickly. Safara, Dess, Kerra, and Gryphon were all great teammates, but I didn't want to use Safara too often in battles because she was extremely young, inexperienced, and I didn't want to put too much wear on that costume. And everyone else was, well…to put it bluntly, they didn't have all that many attacks.

It's why I went into contests instead of battles: with so few attacks, and being so low-level and only gaining strength through birthdays, all four of them – five counting myself – would be sitting Psyducks in an actual fight.

Then again…Gryphon was the oldest of everyone who had been on the shuttle. This made him the strongest. And of all my friends…hm. Which of us had the most attacks? ...

_With_ me, the hybrid with the widest repertoire of attacks was Kerra, with a total of six. Byrony had also had six, but he's back at the police station. On the attack count, Gryphon and I were even at four, while Dess had five and Safara had the fewest at three.

As for who probably had the most attacks _out of the entire shuttle_…that honor might go to Shui. I think he's got seven. Too bad I don't have a clue where he is.

With a sigh, I turned my gaze back to the road. We'd just gotten lost again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know; short chapter. I didn't know what I was doing with this one. Next chapter will be longer.**


	11. The Mystery of Mew and the Power of Aura

_**The Mystery of Mew and the Power of Aura**_

* * *

><p>CENTURIES AGO...<p>

**Salvyxen**

_I came to Earth among strangers, a single Vulpix of twenty-five. We arrived, our Psychic granted us the language, and we parted ways._

_I wandered alone for days, unsure whether I should take on a Pokemon form and risk becoming a target, or use a human form and risk falling on my face with every step._

_Then the matter was taken out of my hands: I was discovered by a human – Sir Aaron, though I did not know his name at the time – and his Lucario._

_We became great friends. I mostly took on my Pokemon form, so as not to alarm the kingdom, though occasionally I'd use my human form._

_I grew to love both master and servant. But when war threatened to destroy our home, the two of them disappeared. A Pidgeot brought back Sir Aaron's staff, and the war was ended by shafts of energy that lit up the sky._

_For a few minutes, I was in shock. I still remembered my last night with Aaron, and I could still smell Lucario on the staff._

_Then I set off to do what I had sworn I would never do: find a fire stone and evolve. I didn't care how long it took – I wanted to wait for them, forever if I had to._

_Finally, I found one. With my longer legs, I returned to the Cameron Palace and as a Pokemon took the staff as my own to keep safe, sealing something precious away inside me._

* * *

><p><em>Years passed…decades…centuries. As time slipped by, things changed. The lights were different, certain items were put on display under glass cases, and a festival was held every year on the anniversary of the war being diverted. For one night, the winner of a small battle tournament would keep the staff and watch over the party. I relented to this on two conditions, which I, having chosen not to speak, managed to make known through other means: one, that I would be the one to present the staff to the winner; and two, that I would stay by the winner's side all night.<em>

_They permitted this. They no longer remembered who I was exactly; everyone who knew who I was had died. What the keepers of the castle remembered was that a Vulpix often stayed by Sir Aaron's side, and so what they assumed was that I had descended from that Vulpix._

_I never bothered to correct their mistake._

* * *

><p>PRESENT DAY<p>

**Cor**

So Ash ultimately lost the Hoenn League, and I never qualified for the Grand Festival. I'm not worried. A little disappointed that the Mawile and Ralts I crossed paths with weren't actually hybrids, but…what are you going to do, anyway?

Anyway, I knew Ash was going to go for the Battle Frontier as soon as I learned of it.

We stopped by Cameron Palace in time for a big festival. My friends dressed up in era-remembrance clothing.

I sniffed the air, reveling in the smells of the air. Something smelled…familiar somehow.

Ash and Brock had gotten me into costume, too.

Lady Eileen called the opening of the contest, and a Ninetales reared up next to her to shoot flames into the air. Fire Spin, I think.

* * *

><p>Battles ensued, Ash winning each one that came his way, until he ultimately won the whole competition!<p>

I kept glancing up at the Ninetales. Something seemed different about her…

Then I blinked. When had Brock gotten down on the arena? He was flirting with Ash's opponent, who'd just revealed herself to be female.

* * *

><p>That night, the Ninetales presented a staff to Ash, balancing on her hind legs and supporting it on her forelegs, while Lady Eileen explained that the staff had belonged to Sir Aaron.<p>

I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be doing in the Grand Ball…mostly because I'd never learned how to dance the way humans did. A lady did eventually "capture" me for a dance, and I warned her that I didn't know how, but I was slightly preoccupied by that Ninetales sitting next to Ash's chair.

The Pokemon were released to have fun, and I passed my other Poke Balls to Kerra, who hadn't left my shoulder. "Here – take the guys and join the party, but for goodness sakes don't let Safara be seen without her costume!"

"_Don't need to tell me twice!"_ Kerra leaped down and ran over to them, sniffing at each ball as she tried to figure out which one was Safara.

The dancing was great, but I really got pawsore fast – I mean footsore – really quickly.

Finally, the dancing stopped, and Ash signaled the start of the fireworks with the staff.

The real surprise was from the staff itself – it released a Lucario, which immediately started confronting Ash with telepathy! He ran off almost as soon as he opened his eyes.

Then I glanced at the Ninetales. She was standing there next to Ash with her mouth hanging open in a most undignified way. Then she spoke one word in English!

"Lu…car…i…o?"

* * *

><p><strong>Lucario<strong>

I could not understand what had happened. The people were celebrating when the kingdom was under attack! Entering rooms brought no answers.

Then finally I learned the truth: I had been trapped inside the staff for centuries!

I told Lady Eileen what I remembered about the battle. It didn't seem to add up with what they told as stories. I knew Sir Aaron had abandoned the queen on the field of battle, but their stories had him as a hero!

I was given leave to stay at the palace for as long as I wished, and I explained a little about aura to the boy I had mistaken for Sir Aaron.

Then a small boy ran in with a crowd of Pokemon following him, and he was frantically talking about a Pikachu and a Mew. They decided that they had to go to the Tree of Beginning to find Mew, and I was to go with them.

A small Vulpix was among the crowd of Pokemon whose aura didn't match her appearance. I stepped forward and knelt before her. "_**You are not one I remember, are you? Could you be related to her?**_"

The little one stared up at me blankly. "_Uh…I'm only seven, and none of my immediate family is from here._" Then she turned around. "_Are you okay, Great Lady?_"

I stood and looked. A Ninetales stood there, quivering in a visible effort to stay still, her expression difficult to read. Suddenly, I had a suspicion. All I had to do was test it. "_**At ease, milady.**_"

She sprang with a cry of joy!

I barely had time to brace myself before she caught my shoulders in a hug.

"Lucario," the boy named Cor asked, sounding like he knew the answer, "do you know her?"

I pushed her back. "_**Possibly. Lady Eileen, what do you know about this Ninetales?**_"

"Not much; she was already here when I was born. She has always kept watch over the staff. And you know…I think everyone has assumed that she descended from that Vulpix that had trained with you and Sir Aaron."

Cor cocked his head with a smirk. "I'm going to take that a bit further." He touched his forehead and chest in succession, half-bowing to the Ninetales. "**Azaros nihlis, kyer'sahbet.**"

"Azaros nihlis" I was familiar with; Salvyxen had greeted Sir Aaron and myself with those words when we discovered her. I didn't recognize the last word.

Then the Ninetales got off of me, stepped towards him, straightened to her hind legs again and did the same gesture. "**Azaros nihlis.**"

"Cor?" Lady Eileen turned to him. "What did you say? And how did you know she would answer?"

He sighed. "I hadn't wanted to alarm you, but there are more things out there than you know." Then he changed form, shrinking to something closer to my height with large ears and a long, whippy tail. "She – and I – and my team – are all hybrids, beings from another world."

The Ninetales turned back towards me. "You do know my name," she told me, starting to shift herself as well, "you just haven't realized yet that I belong to it."

I stared at her in her true form. I couldn't help it. Her clothing was as I remembered, though unlike the clothing I'd seen these humans wearing, hers was aged and even somewhat torn. Her gold hair flowed over her shoulders, and her tails wouldn't stop moving. She was beautiful.

Then she opened her red eyes and held out a three-fingered hand. "Do you know me now?"

I took a careful step towards her, and her immediate reaction was to twitch her small pointed ears, cock an eyebrow and half-smile at me.

That expression did it. I took her hand. "_**Yes, I know you…Lady Salvyxen.**_"

**Cor**

Nice to be proven right once in a while.

"I must know," Lady Eileen asked Lady Salvyxen, "if you've been here for centuries, why didn't you tell me?"

She smirked over Lucario's head. "You didn't ask."

"_**Lady Salvyxen…you had said you would never evolve.**_"

"Just Salvyxen, please," but her tone betrayed that she knew she'd become "Lady" once she evolved. "And that was before you and Sir Aaron both disappeared. I was determined to wait for you. And you'd think I'd remember that 'never' is a word that shouldn't be used by a Vulpix or a Ninetales; sooner or later they'll have to eat those words."

Ash was still preoccupied about Pikachu.

Later, Ash complained to me about Lucario's attitude. "He says he doesn't want friends or have friends! What does he call Salvyxen, then?"

"If I had to guess…he wasn't thinking when he said that. In his mind, she was a fellow 'servant,' both of them serving under Sir Aaron. You'll have to ask her what she thinks."

* * *

><p>Then we were all riding in a truck over the worst roads. I was an Espeon to save room, and Salvyxen was back in Ninetales form and running ahead with Lucario. Apparently, both of them could sense aura.<p>

Kidd explained to us about aura, about how back in the day people could use it.

When we stopped for lunch, Lucario and Salvyxen sat apart from us. Salvyxen was sitting somewhere between Lucario and us, and she looked vaguely confused.

Lucario appeared to loosen up after a small incident with a Bonsly. The ancient hybrid was still tense, though.

May finally noticed and asked. "What's up with Salvyxen, anyway?"

"Um…well...if I had to guess…she knew where she stood with Lucario before he was sealed in the staff. Now…her stance has changed because of her evolution…and she doesn't like it. I think this is also why Lucario said that he doesn't have any friends: because it's true…now."

"Why?"

"You heard what he's been calling her. He calls her 'Lady Salvyxen' now, like I do. Ninetales always receive more respect and reverence unless in battle. In Lucario's eyes, she's above his rank."

"Oh. And she doesn't like this?"

"No." Kerra walked over. "See, if her reaction to Lucario's anything to go by, she's in love with him. But if he sees her as so far above him, then she doesn't stand a chance at changing his mind." Then she reconsidered. "Well…then again…what she knows about him is pretty current, considering…maybe she can change his mind. She's just waiting for the right moment."

* * *

><p>We traveled further, and had to stop thanks to some geysers. Most of us played in a hot spring. Then we found a time flower.<p>

That night, Ash told the story of how he and Pikachu became friends.

**Salvyxen**

Ash's story was interesting. Of course, then Lucario had to be unreasonable. And Ash proved to be one of those hot-tempered ones. They got in an argument, and then outright fought for a minute.

Lucario won, and then bounded off to be alone.

"Lucario…"

I followed Max up the hill to where Lucario was. Max shared some of his chocolate with him. Watching Lucario try to act cool right after Max caught him enjoying the chocolate was amusing, but I wanted some time alone with Lucario. So I used my nose and bumped Max in the back.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Sal, um…Sal…vix…en?" A little trouble pronouncing my outlandish name, and I'm not too surprised. I'm amazed Ash and May had no trouble at all. "Do you want some chocolate, too?"

I cocked my head. "I suppose a little, but I was actually hoping for some time to talk with Lucario, so that we could catch up on times."

"That'll take a while, huh?" Max broke a piece off his bar and held it out to me. I obediently took it and gave him a pointed look. "Okay, okay, I'm going!" He waved cheerfully as he went back down the hill, though.

I sat down and looked at Lucario, considering how I would speak as I finished my mouthful.

"_**What do you want, Lady Salvyxen?**_"

"Lucario…all that changed about me is my appearance and the base Pokemon language I speak. My mind hasn't changed…neither has the number of attacks I know," I added ruefully.

He laughed a little. That had always been a pet peeve of mine, the fact that technically I could only learn attacks at certain ages.

"Another thing that hasn't changed," I touched his shoulder with a paw, "is my heart."

He stopped cold for a minute.

"I love you, Lucario. And I missed you so much." I turned and started walking past the tree he was leaning against. Then I looked back. "Coming?"

He hesitated for an instant longer. I realized that he was going to say no and gave one final push. "I feel like tomorrow's going to bring about an end of something. Please…can you help me make this night one for me to remember?"

He sighed. Then he walked up even with me. "_**You've always been impulsive…Salvyxen.**_"

I smiled with a feeling of victory as we entered the grove.

* * *

><p>THE NEXT DAY<p>

**Cor**

On the road again! We found another time flower at the place where Lucario was trapped in the staff, and it showed us what had happened.

Then, after a talk between Ash and Lucario that I only barely heard, a Regirock appeared from the ground! We had to run from it into a canyon.

Salvyxen had returned to her true form and was walking hesitantly. And she stayed using aura so seriously with her tails fanning out in all directions that it left me wondering a little…about what had happened last night.

Then we came to a place that was filled with Pokemon, and Kit said we were right underneath the Tree of Beginning! Ash, Lucario, and all of us except Kit and Brock started running up a path. Then we ran into a problem: Regice!

Then we found Team Rocket running from Regirock and Registeel!

I couldn't believe how much we were running to avoid legends I'd only read about!

And of course, we ran into more trouble: glowy red things that captured Team Rocket!

We discovered that those things captured humans, but not Pokemon. It left me worried about how hybrids would be regarded by those.

And if anything, Salvyxen seemed doubly worried.

It wasn't long before practically every human was captured. Ash and Kidd were probably the only humans left.

**Salvyxen**

I discovered two things at once. One, that I was a better dodger than Cor; and two, that the Tree of Beginning didn't see hybrids as a _disease_, per se, but didn't like them much either. One of its "white blood cells" captured Cor and basically trapped him inside a rock formation.

My hand hovered just above my stomach, and then I kept running.

* * *

><p>Ash found Pikachu, and we kept running.<p>

"_**Salvyxen, what does the Tree do to hybrids?**_"

"Not eliminate…but trap in stasis. It doesn't like us much."

He growled.

We got to a cavern filled with sunlight. Then those things came rushing in at us and caught Ash and Kit! Both released their Pokemon before they vanished into the ground. I kept dodging as long as I could, trying to stall until Lucario could get free from Registeel, but I misstepped once and got caught. "Lucario! I was going to tell you – "

**Lucario**

I stared as that blob hid Salvyxen from sight and then turned a clear blue like the rock formations around us. I could see her inside, still reaching out towards me.

I walked over and set my paw against her hand. "_**Salvyxen…tell me **_**what?!**_"_

Then Mew started channeling its energy through the Tree of Beginning, restored the humans and freed the hybrids!

**Salvyxen**

I collapsed. And then the Tree of Beginning started collapsing!

Mew led us to a room inside the Tree, and there we found Aaron, petrified in the crystals like I had been!

Ash activated a time flower, and we saw what had happened. Aaron had come here, met Mew, and given it his aura to save the people, at the cost of his own being!

I felt tears running down my face.

Lucario chose to give up his aura to save the tree. At first it didn't work, but Ash chose to help out. That worked, and Lucario finally was able to take over completely in saving the tree.

I wanted to help, but…

And then there was nothing for me to do. Mew healed the tree with the power of aura.

The green energy I remembered shone everywhere. _So that's what that was._

Lucario was very weak after that. He activated another time flower by setting a paw next to it, and he got to hear Sir Aaron's final farewells to him. And a farewell to me, as well.

I took hold of Lucario's other paw. Ash had one paw.

"_**Before I go, Salvyxen…what were you going to tell me?**_"

"Lucario…I was going to break this to you gently."

He smiled at me. "_**I won't be surprised.**_"

"Good luck with that. If you'd stayed, you'd have been a father."

His eyes widened, but then they fell shut. He never stopped smiling. "_**Aaron's, as well?**_"

I'd wondered if he'd guessed. "Yes."

"_**Raise him in the power of aura. Aaron…is waiting for me.**_"

Tears freely ran down my face as both he and Aaron faded away into the Tree of Beginning. "Lucario…I will live for my child…but when he is old enough to manage on his own…I shall follow you to wherever you are. I lived without both of you for centuries…I suppose I can wait a few more years."

Ash took hold of my hand. "Come on, Salvyxen. Let's get you back."

**Cor**

We gathered together again. I felt like I'd been left behind somewhere.

* * *

><p>Salvyxen pawed her stomach as we drove back. She was riding with us this time, sprawled across the laps of Ash, May and Max. (I was in Brock's lap as an Espeon.) "I hope my brief time as a rock didn't adversely affect my child."<p>

"Wha? You're pregnant?" Max definitely sounded surprised.

She smirked at him. "In a manner of speaking. I'll be laying an egg as soon as we get back to the palace."

We had the chance to see the egg before we left. It was blue, and patterned as if it was a physical embodiment of an Aura Sphere. That told me plenty.

* * *

><p>As we left, I remarked to nobody in particular, "You know, I'm not sure a Vulpix is technically capable of learning to use aura. Or a Ninetales, for that matter."<p>

Safara, from her vantage point of Max's arms, piped up. "They can't. Even hybrids of those two can't normally. It takes something very specific to happen, and only to a hybrid."

Somehow, I figured that Salvyxen getting as good as she had with aura had something to do with her spending so much time around Sir Aaron and Lucario. Either way, it didn't matter.

The Cameron Palace was going to gain a new Champion of Aura.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That extra word that Cor says up there? It basically translates to, um, "valued lady," or some such thing.**


	12. Searches Over: Glaucia!

_**Searches Over: Glaucia!**_

* * *

><p>TWO YEARS AGO, ON CHAOTIA<p>

**Glaucia**

I was packing up my things when Skybolt came in. The Delibird, normally composed, looked extremely worried.

"Someone broke into the Northern Hatchery."

I whirled in shock. "No eggs or younglings were hurt, were they?"

"No. The security drove off whoever it was before we could even identify them. But they came extremely close to stealing this." He reached into his tail bag and pulled out a glowing, shimmery orb that was difficult to discern the true colors.

I couldn't help but stare. "What is that? It's not an egg, is it?"

"No, we've just been keeping it at the Hatchery for protection. It's the Wish Stone. Whoever touches it gets one wish from it, and then it's just like any old rock…except that it can't be broken."

"So…why are you showing this to me?"

"I want you to take it with you."

Whatever I'd been expecting him to say, that wasn't it. "What?"

"The latest prophecy says that a pure-heart Mawile must get this where it needs to be, and that…and this makes very little sense to us… 'A hybrid created will know what to do with it.'"

"Wait… 'Created'?"

"That's what they're saying right now. It makes no sense." He held the stone out towards me. "Just keep it with you. Please. And…don't tell anyone you have it."

I considered the burden this would be placing on me. See, "pure-heart" in connection to a Mawile means a Mawile…who's a bad liar. My nickname had quickly been chosen because of it. Most hybrids referred to me as Glassy, because they could see right through any lies I tried to tell. If I took the stone – and I couldn't risk putting it in my bag, so I'd have to keep it with me – and someone asked why I never opened my horn-jaws, I'd have to just say "I can't tell you." And then stick to my guns if they push.

Finally, I made up my mind. I turned around and opened my horn-jaws a little. I only needed to open them a little, since they were easily twice as long as I was tall.

"Thank you." I felt the weight of the stone, waited until his wings were clear, and closed the jaws. "Now good luck, wisdom and long life to you, traveler."

"Thank you, sir."

* * *

><p>AFTER CRASH ON EARTH<p>

I moaned in pain. That had hurt really badly. Then I nearly panicked: what had happened to the Wish Stone? Spinning around, I opened my horn-jaws.

It was still there, and it was fine.

Sighing in relief, I closed them again and shifted to Pokemon form. My horn-jaws were easier to maneuver among rocks and canyons when I was only around a foot tall.

I didn't travel far before I suddenly spotted some humans wandering through! Hiding, I shamelessly eavesdropped. Not that it made any sense. _I wish I could understand what those humans – or any humans – were saying!_

"Blah blah Rock Pokemon around here. We'd better be careful."

_What – oh! Of course: the Wish Stone!_ I peeked over and opened my horn-jaws a slit. The stone wasn't glowing anymore.

"**I probably should have wished for survival. Oh well.**"

* * *

><p>TWO YEARS LATER<p>

Cor

Soon after the King Onix incident, we found a decent place to stop for lunch. Then Pikachu heard something and hopped into a small cave.

When he came out, he was leading a Mawile.

"Oh, how sweet!" May exclaimed.

Pikachu led her to his bowl and offered her some food. (I could tell it was a girl by smell. Females – even with Gloom or Grimer – smell better.)

She accepted it carefully, keeping an eye on everyone. Once she had one bite, though, she all but lit up and started stuffing her face. Clearly she hadn't had very many chances to eat recently.

Then I noticed a look Gryphon was giving her: an oddly intent look. She noticed it, too, and slowed to a stop. "_What?_"

He stood up and walked slowly around her. He hesitated a long moment behind her, looking at either those huge jaws or her back, and then came around to her front again. After another couple of seconds just staring at her, he said one word. "Glaucia."

She bowed her head. "_**That's my name.**_"

My head snapped up. "_**Glaucia? Oh, great, and there's no sure-fire way for us to get you the human language so that you can talk to my new friends!**_"

Then it was her turn to snap her head upwards. "But I _can_ speak the human's language!"

That stopped everything short for a minute.

Then I started talking sort of on automatic. "These are Ash, May, Max and Brock. And just because I look completely different now, I'll just remind you that my name's Cor."

She nodded around at all of us.

"Hey, Gryphon," May asked, "how'd you recognize her?"

"We took the same History class. And I had the misfortune to be put in a seat right behind her, so I was always staring at those jaws." He wandered around next to the jaws and pointed. "She doesn't have a circle spot here – it's more like a diamond."

Max picked her up, or tried to. She came easily, but her jaws were heavier than he'd expected. "Whoa! If you haven't managed to get much to eat, how come you're so heavy?"

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Then she bowed her head as well as she could. "I can't tell you."

I blinked in confusion.

Then Gryphon spoke up again. "Glaucia is a rare creature among Mawiles. Out of an entire species of Deceiver Pokemon, she's a bad liar. It's where her nickname came from: Glassy. Go on, lie for us; what's your opinion of that nickname?" Gryphon was almost sounding mean, but I knew that he wanted us to see what he was talking about.

She cocked her head, squirming down from Max's hands. Then she spoke. "I…don't care about it one way or the other."

She was scuffing one foot, she was fooling with her hands in front of her, and her face said as plain as day that she did have an opinion on that nickname…and it was at least sort of positive.

"I see what you mean," Brock nodded. "Her lies can be seen through really easily."

"One thing I'm good at, though," she straightened up, "is telling when someone's lying, or just point-blank being dishonest. After growing up in a family of deceivers, I daresay I can tell when someone else is trying to deceive!"

I made up my mind on the spot. "Which is why I'm asking you if you'd rather join my team. We run into a lot of thieves here, and you'd be a useful addition."

She stared at me. Then she stared at Brock. Then she looked at me again and answered. "I'd love to!"

And she meant it.

"So…what attacks do you know?"

"Astonish, Fake Tears, Bite and Sweet Scent. Although…" she reconsidered something, and went on, "I'd rather not use Bite anytime soon. It's, um, connected to the 'I can't tell you' of earlier."

_Hmm…she's probably got something heavy inside her horn-jaws, which is why she had such a crazy weight gain, and she doesn't want to lose it._

"Well, don't worry about it. I'm not going to battle with you or anything, not necessarily. I just…if I'm going to be your coach, I need to know what you can do."

She nodded, and I pulled out a Poke Ball. "Welcome to the team, Glaucia."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That Wish Stone is definitely going to play a part. Just not sure when yet.**


	13. Searches Over: Reva!

**_Searches Over: Reva!_**

* * *

><p><strong>Cor<strong>

A lot, and I do mean _a lot_, happened after that. So much that I lost track. After finding Glaucia, the most notable thing that happened was after we found a Pokemon Ranger and an injured Celebi.

While we were still in the forest, I kept hearing whispers. Just these…quiet whispers that sounded like a girl. I couldn't figure it out.

Finally, I turned to the Celebi, who'd fully recovered. "Celebi, have you seen anyone in this time and place that seemed…different from this world?"

Celebi thought about this for a moment. Then she pointed to a grove. "_There. A Ralts dwells within. This is an…off time for her, which is why you can hear her._"

_Which means that she's probably hit puberty right now. Great._ I walked over to the grove and knelt down. "**Reva? Are you in there?**"

Almost immediately the whispers I was hearing got a surprised note to them, and a white face topped with green hair poked out. "Cor? Is that you?"

I wasn't all that surprised that she was speaking the human language – she _is_ a Psychic, after all. "Yeah, I evolved. I'm having a little trouble with the new powers, so…would you mind traveling with me and instructing me in the use of these new sensations?"

She slowly crawled out. "Well…it's not like I was doing anything in particular."

I introduced her to my friends and told her who I'd found and what their decisions had been regarding me. By the way she was nodding her head and the look on her face, her out-of-control mind ability and/or my out-of-control abilities were already telling her all this info, but she also knew I was voicing this out loud for the benefit of the humans and the Pokemon.

"Oh, by the way, just for form's sake: what attacks do you know?"

"Um…Growl, Confusion, Double Team, and…Teleport, but I'm not comfortable with using that last one for the time being."

"Yeah, I get it." Not really, but I could at least get the gist; if I knew Teleport and my powers were going a little out of whack, I wouldn't want to use it either.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know, a short chapter. I just didn't have much steam on this one, but it was important to Cor's studies.**


End file.
